


As Above, So Below.

by Archey (ArchaicOak)



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-30
Updated: 2019-02-01
Packaged: 2019-09-02 19:36:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16793419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArchaicOak/pseuds/Archey
Summary: "Where the unknown persists,Where each step brings obscurity,Where love comes and goes,Where truth lies,That is where this child walks,And where they walk,No one follows."





	1. Sweet Nightmares.

**Author's Note:**

> idk apparently this is good, so here

»»————- ————-««

_One is never afraid of the unknown; one is afraid of the known coming to an end._

_\- Jiddu Krishnamurti._

»»————- ————-««

“So, this is what's left, kid?"   
  
A hallway. So bright, so dark. The perfect contrast, yet so terrible to witness. It leaves the nightmare host nauseous, an uncomfortable weight settling low in their gut, heart seeming to all but stop as they witnessed the recurring dream they've been having for so, so long.    
  
Shuddering, they wrapped their arms around themselves, a soft chattering of teeth as cold tightened it's icy grasp. The sound of tearing flesh aND--   
  
Gurgling for air, Frisk lunged off their bed in a frantic thrash, blankets tugging them back and sending them spiralling onto the floor, a sharp crack as their head hit the wooden floor, shocking them right out of the panic the nightmare tossed them into.   
  
"Gods..." Groaning, the teen heaved themselves up enough to get an arm behind and loosen the binding blanket from around their legs, before stretching long and hard, hissing not only at the satisfying snap and pop from their back, neck and shoulders, but from the dull throb in their head.    
  
They sat up carefully, wincing as they gingerly brushed long, slender fingers against what must've been at least a bruise, and hung their head. Another nightmare. Same one, too. Gods, how pathetic were they? To have a hell awake and asleep.    
  
"Frisk!" A sharp, blood curdling screech of madness as the house shook from their mother pounding her fist against the wall near the stairs, "Get down here and clean the bloody kitchen! For God's sake, I raised you better than this, you useless -- Ugh!"   
  
Eyes wide, the teen scrambled out of their room, just barely shucking their nighties for clean, casual clothes and stumbled downstairs into the kitchen before mother might've seriously gotten angry -- And no one liked when Barbara was angry, Frisk conceded quietly in their mind, as they closed a sink and turned on the tap with a generous glob of dish soap sitting in the middle of the deep metal rectangle already, -- courtesy of their older sister no doubt, bless her soul -- rolling up the long white sleeves of their blouse, mindful to secure them, lest they unravel and get soaked in the dishwater and become ruined from the harsh chemicals on the soft fabric.   
  
The click-clack-clock of heels stamping through the living room had the teen tensing subconsciously, a tongue darting to lick chapped, split lips as the heels' owner appeared; clad in a revealing red cocktail dress that hugged her slim frame, and knee-high black heel boots that sunk into flesh, their mother looked like the sinfully single woman she drunkenly reminisced of being before being married, the night father had left them. Frisk shifted uncomfortably, the sound of screaming and breaking still clear from that particular night.   
  
Barbara sneered as poison eyes watched the teen fidget, red lips curling around sharp canines in a grimace, "Do all your chores before I get back, don't forget. Don't go out. Don't touch anything you know you shouldn't." And with that charming talk, the tall woman left the room, heels click-clack-clocking back into the living room, the sound of the front door opening, and then slamming shut as the car started.   
  
Waiting in silence for the car engine to rumble into the distance, Frisk smiled softly to themselves, before hurriedly drying their hands and grabbing their phone, -- which was always taken at night and put in the knickknack drawer -- unlocking it with a giggle at the password they set, "Fartmaster," checked the time -- a crisp 8:25 AM, -- before opening the music app and pressing shuffle, connected it to the stereo-charger duo, and watched in satisfaction as their phone battery started charging, before cranking the stereo to a normal volume.   
  
They whistled the tune as they reached for a dirty plate, before it turned into full blown singing, giggling childishly when they stumbled over a word, even starting to wiggle with the beat as The Wanderer by Dion came on, one of their favorite tunes --    
  
"Yeah I'm a Wanderer! Yeah a Wanderer, I roam around around around ehhhhH!" Laughing, Frisk beamed at the sparkling dishes sitting prettily on the drying rack, drying their hands on the black trousers they had on, before mentally checking off dishes from their list, and deciding that sweeping the floors would be next, then the garden, then laundry and relax time, since they needed to wait for the washer and dryer to finish each load.   
  
By the time every chore was done, barely three hours had passed, and the teen was beginning to get stir crazy already from a lack of everything, really. Finishing the new book they had had only taken all the loads of laundry to be finished, which wasn't that long.   
  
Wincing slightly as their stomach growled uncomfortably loud, Frisk blushed with a muttered, "Idiot," as they got up from the plush reading chair next to the fire and into the kitchen, cracking open the fridge to make a sandwich, grabbing mayo and ham, before heading over to the counter nearest to the fresher of the loaves of bread.   
  
Having had the barely-filling lunch, Frisk decided they'd go play with Butch earlier than usual; hopefully he wouldn't mind. Giddy, Frisk straightened out their clothes and threw on a pair of leather boots with small, classy heels that clonked instead of clicked, a heavy sound next to the lying lilt of their mother's shoes.    
  
Shuddering, they brushed the thought off the thought and ran outside into the forest, relishing in the stunning fresh air of the countryside they have lived in for the past 15 years, almost exactly Frisk's age.   
  
Practically vibrating in excitement, Frisk cupped their hands over their mouth and let out a growly howl from deep in their throat, -- a sound they had learned to perfect -- and waited with bated breath.   
  
A sharp, howl near them had the air locked in their chest whooshing out in a single exhale, as the sound of pounding feet against the forest floor grew closer; before a large, shade of a creature bound out of the shadows, dark, crystal blue eyes drowning in intelligence boring into Frisk's dull, excited brown, before the teen squealed and tackled the large, male wolf with kisses and hugs, the great beast only chuffing as the long tongue slipped free and affectionately laid claim to a large stripe of skin on their face.   
  
"Butch!" Frisk giggled as the wolf licked their face mercilessly, trying to deter the intelligent creature by shoving their face in it's scruff, "That's nasty!"   
  
Butch just sniffed loudly, nuzzling its muzzle around the small teen, before backing away, tongue lolling out as he yipped.   
  
"Follow? Follow where?" Frisk asked as they got up, having had to kneel to hide their face, and stumbled after the suddenly moving wolf, running through the trees as if part of the pack.   
  
Before it came to a sudden end.   
  
Frisk tumbled roughly down a hill, Butch atop them and growling low in his throat, -- so low it shook Frisk down to the bone, literally-- as a bear came snuffling out of the bush, rearing back and posturing when it noticed the wolf, a snarl latched to it's grizzly muzzle.   
  
Butch carefully nudged Frisk behind them, chuffing and nudging them some more when they attempted to get closer, pointedly shoving them when they still hadn't moved, never once taking the clear eyes off the agitated bear.    
  
"You better come back to me," Frisk warned, worry curling high and low, but trust tugged them away as they ran, flinching and almost tumbling again when the bear and wolf began the fight.   
  
Barely paying attention to where they were going cost them, it seems, as they placed a foot on ground that did not hold, and fell screaming in shock as darkness engulfed them.   
  
A distant howled whine echoed in the hollow woods, then --   
  
A crack.   
  
Blinding pain, a panicked voice --   
  
Nothing.


	2. Sour Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk realizes they've never explored a certain part of the underground, time to go!
> 
> Goat mom looks at her phone and does the big gasp
> 
> And tbh i like my lizard boi who is like any generic vender ever --

»»————- ————-««

_One is never afraid of the unknown; one is afraid of the known coming to an end._

_\- Jiddu Krishnamurti._

»»————- ————-««

“When are you going to reset this time?"  


A figure stood, it's appearance fuzzy and hard to see, safe the bright blue hoodie, stark against the blacks and whites of the room. The room that had once been so, so eerily beautiful was now washed of its color.   
  
A voice cackled maniacally, and the teen belatedly realized that was them. Shuddering, Frisk watched as the figure shifted, as if bored, and in the same baritone voice they've been hearing since forever, the same words that plague many of their dreams, this figure was encased in a blue hue as they growled,   
  
“Here we go."   
  
Frisk jumped, scrambling and suddenly falling, hitting their head against a hard, cherry wood floor. Feeling a sense of deja-vu, the teen looked and sighed tiredly at the fact that same as last time, blankets had tied their legs together.   
  
Grumbling, Frisk massaged the new bruise as they unwrapped the covers from their person, wincing as their legs ached more than they should, and then realized that a lot of their body ached.   
  
Brow furrowing, Frisk shivered as they paled. They didn't have cherry colored floors. Freezing in place, chocolate eyes wide in panic took in the small, "cozy" room, and forced themselves to think rationally when they saw how many different pairs and sizes of shoes were in one box in the far left corner.   
  
Scrambling to get up, Frisk ran out of the room, the door opening with a loud crack as it slammed against a side table, glass shattering as a pot of yellow buds scattered across the floor.   
  
Frisk ran across the glass, grateful for their favorite pair of boots as the sound of glass crunching reached their ears, but ended up frozen in terror as a tall, white monster with red-ish purple eyes rushed towards them, a tall imposing figure to Frisk's underweight one.   
  
Frisk whimpered quietly, and almost fled when the soft, sweetly scratchy voice of the monster speaking reached them.   
  
"My child, are you okay? I heard a crash -- Ah." The monster seemed to blush, though Frisk has no clue how they knew since the monster had such thick white fur, "I'm sorry, child, I oft forget I am quite terrifying to those who do not know of monster already."   
  
The monster seemed to clear their throat, stepping back a few larges paces, and nervously fiddled with their giant paws, "I am Toriel, child, and I am the caretaker of my land, the Ruins." Toriel paused, eyes suddenly wetting, and Frisk struggled to restrain the sudden urge to barrel into the monster's arms, "I... I found you injured. Very, very injured, and took you to my home for you to rest as I healed you the best I could."   
  
Frisk gulped. Just looking at this monster, how sad and terrified they looked when they spoke, voice too high to be normal, as they slowly reached a hand to wipe at their eyes.   
  
Steadying themselves, the teen slowly walked forward, the sound of the heels on their boots loud in the silence, watching as Toriel watched them through glazed eyes, before lunging the last few steps and hugging the waist of the monster, a quiet, shaky thank you existing their chapped lips. Frisk breathed in, relaxing at the hint of cinnamon and something else that lingered on the purple robes.   
  
"You're very welcome, my child. Say, are you hungry? Thirsty? You have been asleep for quite some time." Toriel smiled, small fangs peeking out from her lips, nose twitching with a sniff every so often, arms only now coming to wrap around Frisk.   
  
The the teen nodded vigorously, "Food, please!"   
  
"Food it is, then. Come." Toriel gently put a hand on Frisk's shoulder, guiding them to the other side of the house, entering a doorway that opened to a large room; a fireplace crackled quietly, a rug and plush chair sitting picture perfect next to it, a medium sized dining table of carved, intricate wood, and chairs that matched with plush seating, and from there, another doorway that Frisk guessed was the kitchen. The lady led Frisk to a dining chair, telling them she'd have something for them in just a second.   
  
They nodded, smiling nervously, legs bouncing. Frisk still wasn't entirely comfortable, even if the monster, Toriel, was very kind and gentle.   
  
Suddenly, a delicious smell invaded the space, and Frisk couldn't even be embarrassed at the rather loud growl from their stomach, mouth practically becoming a fountain as Toriel brought out a crisp, drooling small piece of pie, and a deep cup filled with water, "Sorry that it's not something more filling, but I didn't think you would want to wait too long."   
  
"Thanks!" Frisk practically devoured the piece on their fork, a groan escaping their full mouth, as the insides flowed free from the cut of the knife, fork still shoved firmly their mouth.   
  
Toriel chuckled, "Let me know when you're done, and I'll clean up the dishes, as you seem quite tired still."   
  
Frisk nodded, not entirely paying attention as the sweet, earthy taste continued to violate their mouth. It took barely a few minutes for the teen to inhale the pie slice and to gulp down the water. They quietly washed the dishes without a thought, drowsily hugging the reading monster who clicked her tongue at seeing the empty table, before drawing Frisk in a tight, warm hug, and leading them back to the room, patting their head with a warm goodnight.   


  
◢▆█▆██◣♥◢██▆█▆◣   


  
Frisk made sure to count each day, and was bewildered to wake up one day, and think at how long they've stayed, at how at home they feel. Shaking their head, they huffed at the hair that fell in long, curly-straight twirls in their face, reaching a slim hand to weave it behind their ear. Frisk really needed to brush their hair.   
  
Yawning, they stretched languidly in their bed, rubbing the sleep from their eyes as they sat up, shirking the blankets off, watching sleepily as the covers tumbled off the bed for once.   
  
Rubbing their head, Frisk stood up and straightened out their bed, before padding over to the closet and picked out a dark blue pair of jeans, a warm blue-grey button shirt, and a pair of boots Toriel had taught them how to make. Where the jeans and shirt were plain and simple, the boots had two engraved, magically moving animals that danced between many forms as it ran, and even flew!-- on the dark, hardy yet soft material, and the slight heels on them had the most satisfying clack against wood and stone!   
  
Frisk giggled as the animal on the right shoe switched to a dog as they ran a finger on the boot, yapping playfully, the sound muted but still recognizable, chasing the appendage as it traced it's way across the stagnant imagery etched into the leather, before surrendering the finger to the drawing of the puppy, giggling harder as Charlie, yes Frisk had named the right boot shapeshifter Charlie -- licked a stripe up the skin of their hand, still in awe that the enchantments could interact, and wondered if Monsters had any magic murals that do the same, but tell the story as it was?   
  
Frisk lightly pet Charlie, before setting the boots on the clean cherry floors, along with the folded jeans and shirt next to them, watching in amusement as Charlie hopped onto Delta's boot, chasing the screeching cat around the leather with gleeful barking, tongue lolling. Shaking their head, they pulled out some simple black underwear and long socks, and started getting dressed after taking off the long shirt they slept in, chucking it into the "dirty corner", as Frisk has so lovingly called the darkest corner of the room that was piled with clothes.   
  
Satisfied that the shirt was tucked evenly into the jeans, and that Charlie and Delta had stopped bickering, Frisk reached back into the closet and rummaged around for a specific belt, and smiled brightly when they found the soft, worn leather of a belt their father had gifted them many, many years ago, and was glad that it still fit them. Frisk pulled it out and closed the closet doors, hinges squeaking slightly, before looping it through the belt buckles, watching the light catch the detailed wolf on the silver buckle, howling at a clouded moon, lace-like loops surrounding the edges. Tugging slightly, Frisk made sure it was secure, before clopping out of the room and into the bathroom just across from their room, leaving both doors open.   
  
Standing in front of the mirror, Frisk tugged at their hair, which was now past their chin. Sticking out their tongue, they nabbed the brush and got to work, making sure to get every knot, before gathering the now straight waves into a low, loose short pony, and grinned, happy with how they looked. Frisk brushed their teeth, after continuing business as usual in the bathroom, and finally rinsed, before exiting, boots echoing on the wood.   
  
"Toriel?" The call went unanswered, and Frisk shifted slightly, wondering if goat-mom got a letter to come and help those deep in the ruins. It wouldn't be the first time that had happened. Shrugging, Frisk went to living room and looked at the calendar, noting first that it was still written in the tongue of Monsters, second that Frisk had now been living in the Ruins for a total of two weeks, and the last:   
  
Toriel hadn't left a note.   
  
Frowning, Frisk fidgeted slightly, ignoring the concerned noises from their boots, and gently touched today's date, dread pooling in their gut.   
  
Toriel always, always left a note on the calendar.   
  
Deciding that staying here and waiting wouldn't do anything other than further their anxieties, Frisk grabbed the telephone Toriel had gifted them, making sure to check if their adoptive mom texted, and exhaled shakily at the blank screen. Shoving the brick of a phone in the back pocket of their jeans, they walked to the entrance, making sure to grab the spare key, and locked up, key looped securely into their belt, and walked past the tall oak, leaves crunching under foot.   


  
◣▆█▆██◢ ♥ ◣██▆█▆◢   


  
Toriel huffed, arms crossed as she stared down the shaky vendor, "Does me wearing a cloak over my being truly insult you so?"   
  
The vendor, a scaled Monster, shook slightly, vibrating, "N-No, but..."   
  
"Then there is no reason you could deny me goods I've bought many times before." Toriel reached for the basket of items, only for the vendor to hold a hand, a pleading look in their eyes.   
  
"This is... This is more than just for one person. Did you," the vendor darted a nervous, slim tongue darting out, slitted eyes shifting, "Did you find a uh, y-you know?"   
  
Toriel froze, hand hovering over the basket, before shaking her head, tone grim, "That is between me and mine, Dimi."   
  
Dimi hung his head, tail curling loosely around a thin, muscled leg as he bowed stiffly, "Of course, Caretaker of the Ruins, forgive my blunder. May your land take watch and it's residents be content."   
  
Toriel bowed her head slightly, picking up the heavy basket laden with goods, "You are forgiven, Vendor Dimi of New Home, and may your shop feed, and continue to feed, the youth of this land.   
  
Dimi continued to bow, tail uncurling and flopping to the ground, letting out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding, watching the tall, cloaked Monster.   
  
Shaking his head, he muttered to himself, "I don't get paid enough to deal with Caretakers."   
  
Toriel huffed a short, dry laugh, having heard the words of the vendor, continuing her trip to the Riverperson, guilt hammering into her as she thought about Frisk. Worrying her lip, Toriel brought out her phone to wait for the boat, turning it on, only to freeze, hand shaking violently as she watched a red dot blip steadily through the Ruins, wishing she had left anything to let the child know --   


  
“Stars have Mercy."   


  
◢▆█▆██◣♥◢██▆█▆◣   


  
Frisk wheezed, stomach aching as they wiped away tears, "Man, I should've visited you sooner, Den!"  
  
The Froggit croaked a giggle, "'Course! You should come more often to here some of the stuff that we get up to, and maybe even join in!"  
  
Frisk nodded, still laughing every few seconds as they waved goodbye to Den, shaking their head, they got up from where they had collapsed in laughter, and trudged on, having given up searching for Toriel early on after talking with a few of the Froggits, them having said Toriel had an errand and suggested that now might be a good time to goof off with the others, the old Froggits laughing when Frisk jumped, clapping excitedly, before rushing off with a hyper hoot.  
  
Wincing at the aching of their throat and stomach, having fun with the puzzles Toriel had taught them to do, even if they could remember every part, and only stopped when they realized the path was blocked by a... Ghost? Awe shown on their face, and they carefully approached, noticing the whispering and soft snoring, and giggled quietly, before coming closer and attempting to scoot by, only to frown as it seemed like the ghost took up all the walkway. Looking closer, they noticed this ghost had shimmers of lines on it, and was shocked to see flowers etched into it's being. Shaking their head, they determined there was only one solution.  
  
Frisk figured it would be considered very rude to walk through them, so they attempted to wake them up. The teen blinked as the Ghost shot up a few feet back, stress oozing from it in waves as it screeched, "Y-you!"  
  
Frisk nodded, "Me."  
  
"You! You woke me up!" It, she? seemed angry, voice loud but soft.  
  
"You were sleeping on the path, and I didn't want to step over, or through you." Frisk scratched the back of their head, sheepish, a grin easily coming on their face.  
  
The ghost seemed to freeze, before slumping and hovering back to the red leafed walkway, "Sorry... I'll just leave you alone, I guess."  
  
The ghost faded away, and Frisk just shook their head, confused beyond belief. Shrugging, then continued past, and found more puzzles to work on!   
  
Frisk huffed, tapping their foot from behind the spikes, as the rock crawled to the left, and not forwards, "That's the wrong way! You gotta go on the pad in front of you!"  
  
The rock shuddered to a stop, a warbling voice echoing in the space, "My bad, youngin', give me a moment."  
  
The teen sulked, watching the Monster slowly shuffle to the plate, and almost hopped over the spikes, but instead waited a few moments, before slowly crossing over them.   
  
Heaving a sigh, Frisk brought up the brightest smile they could, waving as they said a thank you to the Monster, before getting past there as fast as they could.   
  
  
Frisk finally got to the end, or so the map on their phone had said when they drug it out to make sure they weren't lost just a few minutes prior.. Shuffling forwards, they walked through the archway, and groaned at the stairs, before marching down petulantly, legs aching something fierce.  
  
When they got to the final step, Frisk just sat down on the step behind it, pouting and hissing as they rubbed their sore, sore legs gently. Sighing for what seemed like the millionth time today, the teen decided to get it over with, seeing as the map had shown a small drinking place in the final room.   
  
Standing up, they wobbled slightly, and Frisk was about to walk forwards, only for something yellow that glowed at the corner of their eyes, and Frisk ooh'd, stumbling over to kneel at the buried object, softly brushing away red leaves to pick it up.  
  
A soft gasp escaped them, the shining star, just barely bigger than a teacup -- hovering just above their hands, a warm feeling washing over them, and... Healing them? Frisk smiled brilliantly, whatever this thing was, it was helping, and they slowly tugged it closer and put it in their pocket, the warmth fading but not leaving.   
  
Getting up, Frisk brushed the leaves off their jeans, and walked confidently to the door in front of them, entering, only to have to hang on to the doorway, mouth dropping and eyes widening at the beautiful room in front of them.  
  
Forcing themselves to calm down, they giddily rushed to the flowers, kneeling carefully to smell them, and laughed as the sweet pollen tickled their nose.  
  
Frisk fell backwards, delighting in the feel of blades of grass running through their fingers, loving the sun that lit up their skin with a Mother's warmth. Getting up just as fast as they had laid down, Frisk skipped to the sides of the room, petting the vines and plants that had nestled their way past the unforgiving rock walls. Frisk hummed a tune, an old, ancient tune, and laughed freely, running around the small room, before remembering the water.  
  
Looking around, they noticed a spot that didn't seem so grassy a meter or two behind the flowers and sun, and they walked towards it, practically jogging, and clapped their hands together, eyeing the sparkling, clean water.  
  
They decided that they'd stop here and make their way back after a nap, seeing as it didn't seem too late yet. Sitting down, they cupped their hands together under the water, sipping cautiously, before gratefully gulping down the cool, refreshing water, having noted nothing unhealthy, from what they could tell.  
  
Humming again, Frisk made their way into the middle of the ring of flowers, curling into a ball for the nap and enjoy the sun, only for something to pop out of the ground in front of their face, making them scream and scramble back, as a high-pitched, childish voice came out of the plant in front of them,  


  
"Howdy! You're new to the Underground, ain't ya?"   


  
◣▆█▆██◢ ♥ ◣██▆█▆◢   
  



End file.
